1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the camping mat art and more particularly to an improved mat configuration which may be advantageously utilized in a camping sleeping mat, in a camping seating arrangement mat, in a combined camping sleeping mat/seating arrangement and the like as particularly useful in back-packing, hiking, mountain climbing and other activities wherein a person is to sleep or sit on the ground or on structures outdoors or indoors and where both comfort and insulation are desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many types of sleeping pads or mats as well as many types of seating arrangements for use by back-packers, hikers, mountain climbers and others engaged in outdoor activities have been made available to the persons engaged in such activities. In these activities it is desired that the pad be as light weight as possible and still provide insulation of the person from the cold ground as well as a high degree of comfort for sleeping and/or seating. Such pads are preferred to be flexible so that they maybe rolled or folded into a compact configuration. In addition, seating at outdoor stadiums in many locals in the winter has been an activity in which various types of pads have been available to provide increased comfort and insulation while seated at such a stadium.
One type of pad heretofore available has been a type of self inflating pad or mat in which there is an upper and a lower sheet defining an outer envelope of an air tight material such as a plastic coated nylon and which has an open cell, flexible polyurethane foam pad in the envelope. The upper and lower sheets are bonded together at the peripheral edges thereof to define the envelope. An open-cell, flexible foam pad inside the envelope and an air valve was provided on the envelope to allow selectively ambient air, or forced aspiration from the user, to enter the cavity defined by the envelope in which the open-cell pad is located and inflate the open-cell foam pad. For the valve in the open position and to prevent air escaping from the envelope to regions external thereof in the closed position. The inner surface of the upper and lower sheets were bonded, for example by use of a thermoplastic layer on the inside surface of the upper and lower sheets, to the upper and lower surfaces of the foam pad. Such a mat or seat configuration could provide an insulating effect as well as a comfortable decise for use as either a mat or a seat. However, it has been found that in the use of such a camping mat or seat configuration, the pad did not provide as much insulating qualities as desired to preserve the body heat of the user and prevent the conduction of the body heat of the used to the ground. Further, the more or less planar configuration of such a sleeping pad or seating arrangement often resulted in slipping of the user thereon and, further, tended to prevent the molding of the pad to the configuration of the portions of the user's anatomy in contact with the pad.
On type of pad arrangement which combines the functions of both a sleeping mat and a seating arrangement is described in which a single unit may be conveniently utilized as either a camping mat for sleeping or a seating arrangement for sitting. Such a structure is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,923. In one embodiment thereof there is described an air tight envelope comprised of an upper sheet and a lower sheet defining a pad accepting cavity therebetween. Two foam pads substantially coextensive with the upper and lower sheets are in the pad accepting cavity. In such an embodiment there is described that one of the pads is an open-cell foam and the other of the pads is a closed-cell foam. The open-cell foam pad has one-half the thickness of the single pad utilized in other embodiments and the same density as the open-cell foam pads utilized in other embodiments described therein. However, such configuration did not provide as much insulating quality for preserving the user's body heat or contour forming action in use nor increased friction to prevent the user from slipping when using the pad as often desired in many applications of use of the pad.
Thus there has long been a need for both a camping mat or pad and a seating arrangement in which the pad or seating arrangement not only increases the insulation effect to preserve the body heat of the user but also provides increased friction to decrease the slippage of the user thereon as well as forming a more body part contouring effect for increased comfort.